1. Field of the Invention
This invention is an advancement in retention systems for flexible displays, and, more particularly, is a retention system for the purpose of placement of graphics and advertisements on trucks, trailers and buildings through the use of a tensioned framing system.
2. Description of Related Art
Many methods exist for the display of advertisements. One of the most common and well known is the billboard. While billboards can consist simply of painted advertisements on a board, they most commonly consist of an adhered or otherwise secured medium that can be easily replaced. In recent years, the use of advertisements on the sides of moving vehicles in a manner reminiscent of billboards has become commonplace. Perhaps in response to the demand for this manner of advertising, the number of systems and methods for effectuating the display of an advertisement on vehicles has steadily increased in recent years. The more successful and versatile of these methods utilize some method of framing a flexible sheet of material containing the advertisement with the frame itself being in some manner attached to the body of the vehicle, most commonly the trailer of a large truck. The use of tensioned flexible sheeting imparts an advantage over other means of advertising, such as painting directly onto the vehicle and the use of adhered panels, because the flexible displays are interchangeable and more impervious to environmental elements than other methods. All of the existing methods, including those utilizing tensioned flexible sheeting, have their limitations.
In developing such a system, a number of factors must be taken into account. These include the restrictions placed on vehicle width by both federal and state law, the impact to the vehicle itself as owners of vehicles prefer that advertising systems impact the vehicle as little as possible, and the appearance of the advertisement once placed on the side of the vehicle particularly with regards to the tendency of flexible sheets to bulge from the introduction of air/wind beneath the sheets while the vehicle is moving. Because of these factors, the most desirable vehicle side advertising systems should consist of a comparably narrow framing system, easily connected and removed from the vehicle with as little impact to the vehicle as possible, capable of displaying the advertisement in a readable manner.
Many variations on tensioning systems have been put forth. U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,746 discloses a framing system using “C-channel” railings to secure a flexible vinyl display with rigid edges by threading the edges into the C-channels and then pulling the panel through the full length of the securing channels. This method is advantageous in that it provides a more simplified means of interchanging advertising panels than what was previously known in the art. However, the rails securing the flexible display consist of multiple metal portions, adding to the cost of production, and complicating installation and interchangeability. The impact to the vehicle is still significant because of the extensive amount of hardware that must be installed to hold the framing system in place. The tensioning mechanism requires the use of carriage bolts to tighten the entire bottom channel, these bolts being difficult to readjust should it become necessary or desirable. The carriage bolts also may have the potential of loosening during transit, causing distortions in the advertising material. Additionally, the use of the C-channel requires that the flexible display be bent in a downward direction at the seam edges, producing unnecessary stress on the display and ultimately leading to premature failure of the display.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,002 discloses a framing system with a smaller footprint than that seen in the prior art. This method still requires that the flexible display be bent in a downward direction for display causing stress on the display. The tensioning system also utilizes fastening screws which are subject to loosening and pose issues with ease and speed of readjustment. The framing system itself is completely attached to the vehicle using hardware that visibly impacts the vehicle. Additionally, the complete attachment limits the interchangeability between existing advertisements from vehicle to vehicle because it requires that the flexible display be the exact same size as each other.
A more desirable system would utilize as little hardware as possible in attaching the framing system to the vehicle so as to maintain the structural and aesthetic integrity of the vehicle should the system be removed. Furthermore, the system itself should be aesthetically pleasing, presenting the flexible display as a framed image. Additionally, a more desirable system would ideally utilize a tensioning mechanism that does not place unnecessary stress on the flexible display so as to prolong the life of the display and safeguard the potential for future use of the display. This tensioning mechanism would be composed of stainless steel allowing significant pressure to be applied making the mechanism more secure and creating better tension. This will permit the use of less tension points thereby making the product more reusable and creating a longer product life. The system should be composed of as few parts as possible in order to simplify inventory management, lower the costs of production and the time and difficulty associated with installation, thereby minimizing the labor needed for installation and the downtime required for the vehicle itself. The tensioning mechanism should be easily adjustable, allowing maximum adjustability in display size, should be simple, requiring no special tools with an easy methodology for the tensioning systems, and should not be prone to loosening during transit. The system should employ methods to reduce the introduction of air under the display in order to ensure optimal presentation of the image. An ideal system would utilize a frame that could be adapted to maximize image space on any configuration of vehicle. Additionally, the system should be flexible, utilizing double barrel casings that allow for split advertisements or image display and more economical change-out scenarios. Furthermore, the system should have the ability to accept different size flexible displays without repositioning any of the existing frame hardware. Finally, the system should be lockable, utilizing locking pins or other mechanisms to prevent the unintentional loss of tension and to reduce and discourage tampering with the system.